Rhonda Byrne’s “The Secret”, is a worldwide best seller. It is one of the biggest self-help books of all times, and it has also been turned into a popular DVD. There has even been a follow up on “The Secret” in the form of “The Power”. The success of this little book is proof of the statement that people in the contemporary world is looking for quick fixes. What the book also proved is that while we like to say that material wealth does not bring any happiness, we still place a high value on it.
Apart from the obvious flaws with regard to the physics in the book, I will go on to argue that the book sells lies to its readers. This I will do using historical example. But before that, there is one big problem I had with “The Secret” that made me question the book’s value. In “The Secret”, the most amazing claims is made about the nature of the universe and the way the macrocosms functions. It is said in the book, amongst other things, that when we think a thought, it creates a brainwave, and that that brainwave goes out into the whole universe, and then that the universe in return works toward making your brainwave a reality. Thus if you think negative things, negative things will happen to you, while if you think positive things, positive things will happen to you. But despite this awesome claim, there is not many natural scientists who co-authored this book. This is worrying. How can you believe psychologist and philosophers discussing these topics. Should not astronomers be included in such a discussion? Where is the proof? How can one make these claims if you have not intensely studied physics, chemistry, math and other related fields?
But apart from this, let us look at another important part of the book. According to the book, if a person has a specific mind-set, the world around you will develop exactly according to the way you think. So for example, if you worry about where you will find new clothes, you will eventually struggle to find new clothes, since your mind influences your future. Instead, the book suggest, one should picture yourself already in that new suit of with that pair of expensive shoes.
Another example: instead of saying “I will never win the lottery”, start planning how you are going to spend the money. Thus your brain will send out these thoughts into the universe via brainwaves, and the universe will in turn work for you in order to make your thought s become reality. This is just plain and utter nonsense, and it is a pity that nonsense like this is allowed to be sold to the world.
Although there is truth in the saying that positive thoughts is vital for everyday life, there is absolutely no proof that if we vision things our visions will come true. Daydreaming about the world is important, because that way we explore our dreams and define who we are and what we want to achieve. But success in life is nothing but a combination of hard work and indeed sheer luck. The famous golfer Gary Player apparently once said that the more he practises the luckier he gets. Success is nothing but this: hard work and luck.
During the Anglo-Boer war (1899 – 1902) in South Africa, the British were convinced that the war, which broke out in October would be ‘over by Christmas’. It wasn’t. When the two capitals, Bloemfontein and Pretoria fell into their hands, so certain were they that the war is almost over, that they started to send many troops home. All the soldiers who fought for the British received “The Queen’s South Africa medal” for service. The first 50 of these indicated that the war lasted from 1899 – 1900. The British were so certain of victory and that the war would end during 1900 that they officially recognised the war ‘over’ in 1900 before the year 1900 had passed! So why did the war continue? It was all there in their minds that the war is over, they had it all nicely planned. They ‘knew’ the war was over, they knew it to the extend of awarding medals to those who served in the war of 1899 – 1900! And yet the war went on...
“The Secret” is a money making scheme and what it claims to be the truth is nothing but poor guesswork about the nature of the universe and thus a bunch of lies. Everybody should be warned against these lies. One do not want to sound pessimistic, but I do believe it is important to warn others who are naive and believe anything they are told. In the end, everybody should make up their own minds and decide for themselves, but each and every person should be empowered with the arguments against the “truths” in “The Secret”
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